Why The Vision Was A Unique Challenge, According To Paul Bettany

Upgrading his J.A.R.V.I.S. duties to The Vision was a unique experience for Paul Bettany. After performing voice work for the past few Marvel movies, he actually had to show up to set, wear a ton of makeup and prosthetics, and suspend himself in the air with an uncomfortable wire. But even more than any of those elements, Bettany says playing the character was a special challenge because he was, as he says in Avengers: Age of Ultron, "born yesterday."

According to Philippine Entertainment Portal, Bettany was flown in by helicopter to the World Trade Center in Pasay City, Philippines, to participate in a public panel for the 2015 AsiaPOP Comic Convention. DJ Nikko Ramos hosted the Q&A session, and he asked about the actor’s Marvel experience. Bettany said:

[Y]ou see my character get[s] born… something unlikely to ever happen to me again. He must be both omnipotent and yet totally naive at the same time. And experiencing the world in real time and his place in it. Is he going to be a force of good or a force of evil? It was really interesting, fun to play with, because he is dangerous, you do not know if he’s going to go one way or another. And I’m continuing that theme in Captain America 3.

Much like Elizabeth Olsen described Scarlet Witch in Captain America: Civil War, The Vision seems to be a wild card of sorts. After his birth in Age of Ultron, the Avengers aren’t sure exactly where this android stands. We know he’s "on the side of life," but it didn't outright say that he will side with Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. However, he’s at least worthy enough to wield Thor’s hammer — something not even Steve Rogers could do, though he budged it a little. He’s also worthy enough to guard the Mind Stone, but Vision is still trying to figure everything out.

In the Civil War promo art released by Jeremy Renner on Twitter, we see Vision siding with Team Iron Man, which includes Iron Man (obviously), War Machine, Black Widow, and Black Panther. While the film doesn’t directly adapt the events of the Civil War comic book, it does take inspiration, and in the comics, characters swap sides. So, whether Vision stays on the side of Stark remains to be seen.

Captain America: Civil War sees Steve Rogers leading a team of new Avengers. But, after another international incident involving the heroes, the governments of the world band together to impose a "system of accountability" and a government body that decides when and when not to enlist the Avengers. This action causes a rift between the heroes, some siding with Iron Man who supports the initiative, and others with Captain America, who’s against it. Siding with Cap, according to the promo art, are Hawkeye, Ant-Man, The Winter Soldier, Falcon, and Sharon Carter/Agent 13.